


Next Best Thing

by LastofMe



Category: RWBY
Genre: Christmas, Inspired by Fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28301223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LastofMe/pseuds/LastofMe
Summary: Inspired by this art from Manu-chann https://www.deviantart.com/manu-chann/art/Patreon-Fanart-The-First-Bumblebee-864792158Yang gets a special gift from a secret Santa.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Next Best Thing

Taiyang was up early on Christmas morning. He poured himself a cup of coffee before going back to the living room to plug in the tree. That was when he saw it. The little yellow box tied with a purple ribbon.

_To: Yang. From: Santa_

The spiky handwriting hadn’t changed since they were passing notes in the back of the lecture hall. He had to pray that Yang wouldn’t recognize it. But he didn’t have long to consider it as doors slammed upstairs and his daughters galloped down the stairs only pausing to marvel at the bulging stockings and pile of presents crowded around the tree. Qrow followed them yawning before getting his own cup of coffee and topping it off from his flask.

Taiyang unpinned the stockings from the mantle and gave them to Yang and Ruby who were waiting as patiently as they could. He sat back in his chair as the girls tore through their presents. It had been a long year for all of them and watching the girls act like children was refreshing. When the girls turned their attentions to the tree, Qrow passed Taiyang a hastily wrapped package.

“I… uh… found this while I was cleaning out Summer’s things. She had it in a box in her closet with stuff for the girls. You know how she liked to get all of her shopping done early...” Qrow looked wistful and took another strong pull on his coffee cocktail.

Taiyang pulled away the wrapping paper and pulled out a framed picture. It was Summer, slightly disheveled holding a bundle in her arms, he was sitting next to her on the bed with a small Yang, staring intently at her new baby sister, in his lap. He remembered the midwife taking that picture and the joy he felt at holding Ruby for the first time.

“Mamma,” Ruby pulled herself up on the couch next to him and pointed at Summer. “Mamma went away and she can’t come home now.” She pulled a well-loved plush Beowulf tight to her chest as she leaned into Taiyang’s side. He wrapped an arm around her.

“This is the day you were born Ruby. Your Mamma and I were so happy to meet you.”

“I miss Mamma,” she looked up at him with achingly familiar silver eyes.

“I miss Mamma too.” He kissed her forehead.

“Look! Look what Santa brought me!” Yang was in her own triumphant world. A yellow box and purple ribbon were discarded at her feet. “A motorbike! Daddy, its just like the one you have in that picture! From when you were a Hunter!”

“I guess Santa knew how much you like that picture.” Qrow and Taiyang exchanged a knowing look.

“Mommy’s in the picture too,” commented Yang as she began to race the toy bike around the rug.

“What’s your favorite present Ruby?” asked Qrow.

She thought for a minute before hopping off the couch and pulling a little red cape out of her cache. She handed it to Taiyang. “For dress up. So I can be a Huntress like Mamma.”

He fastened the cape around her neck. “There’s my beautiful girl.”

“Thank you Daddy!” She planted a big kiss on his cheek before settling down to play with Yang.

Yang kept her new motorbike with her all day long and she was still clutching in when Taiyang tucked her into bed. She stirred for a moment when he tucked her in. “Daddy, will Mommy come back soon?”

“What do you mean Sunshine?”

“Mamma Summer went to heaven so Mommy should come back and be mine and Ruby’s Mommy now.”

“You really love your Mommy.”

“I want her to see how big I am. And make cookies and read stories and go Hunting like mommies are supposed to.” She yawned and her eyes fluttered closed.

“I love you, my little dragon.” He kissed her cheek and turned out the lamp.

Taiyang was suddenly exhausted when he closed his bedroom door behind him, but he also found himself shivering. His bedroom window was cracked open and when he went to close it, he saw an envelope on his desk. Opening it, he saw the same spiky writing:

_Dear Tai,_

_I hope that Yang got her gift. I didn’t know what to get her, but whenever I check in on her, she’s always looking at that old picture of us or running around_ _pretending to be a Huntress. And you said no weapons until she’s ten, so I thought this was the next best thing._

_I know this Christmas must be hard for you without Summer. But Ruby is growing look so much like her, isn’t she?_

There was a clatter and a surprised squawk at the window and Taiyang reached out just in time to pull the raven into the room and set it on the windowsill.

“You could just show up in the normal way you know? Yang misses you.”

The raven gave a soft caw and shuffled her feet, embarrassed.

“The girls want a mom. Qrow and I are doing our best, but you know Qrow… And I’ve got all the books to explain girl stuff to them, but its not the same. Raven, won’t you please come home?”

The raven shook her head and Taiyang felt his anger bristle.

“Why not!? The girls need you! I need you! What can be so important to keep you away?”

For her part, the raven leapt into the air to squawk in Taiyang’s face until he remembered that the girls were sleeping just down the hall.

“Fine! If you’re not going to turn human and actually tell me, at least go see them for yourself.”

The raven hovered for a moment before settling on Taiyang’s shoulder. She leaned into his ear and ruffled his hair with her beak as they headed into Yang’s room.

When she saw Yang, fast asleep with the motorbike still in her hand, she fluttered down to her and pulled up the blankets to tuck her back in before reaching out with a wing to touch her face. Very gently, she lifted some loose hairs from Yang’s pillow before hopping back onto Taiyang’s shoulder with a forlorn croak.

In Ruby’s room, Qrow had fallen asleep reading to her. The raven picked up the book he had dropped and laid it on the shelf before flying over to look at Ruby carefully for a few minutes. When she returned to Taiyang he walked her back to his room and watched her soar out the open window into the cloudless night. He turned back to her letter for the last two lines.

_I wish I could tell you all what you mean to me._

_Raven._


End file.
